My sister has been away from God for most of her life.
We were raised in a loving, but strict home, and she was the SUPER rebellious child.

Not many things she wouldn't or hasn't done.

But God's hand is not shortened that it cannot save.
This past week, my mother informed me that she had made her way back to God.
Praise you my sweet Jesus!
Thank you for spreading your mercy upon her!

Now I ask that you take her hand and lead her along life's way.
May she ever find her answer to her needs in thee.

I also praise God for my returning health.
As I read the praise report on healing, I felt God's hand moving on my body.
I believe that total healing for me is done, right now as I type this.

Thank you Lord for showing mercy and compassion upon me, you child.

Duke

Glory to God!!
Hallelujah!!

We must trust His promises and love for us.
God's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, it is our faith that must be expanded!

Thank you!!

I certainly hope that I am over reacting to the situation at work, but I've seen this done to others, and now find myself in their shoes, and PLEASE believe me I am innocent in this situation.

I wish I could tell more, but I am afraid to should this mess end up in the court house.
This situation was not intentional, nor has it been "prolonged" for the fun of it, but that seems to be how they are viewing it.

AGAIN  THANK YOU!!
Duke

Please pray for me.
I cannot divulge any information other than to say it is a situation I am involved in at work.
If this goes badly, and they are trying, it will cost me my job and affect the rest of my life.
Please pray that I will have God's favor, peace and protection and that I keep MY BIG FAT MOUTH SHUT!!  lol
(I'm Irish and I got the bad temper!!)

I would also ask you to pray for my daughter who is sick, My mother-in-law needs a special touch from God-she has an infection in her leg that has spread to the leg bone and could cost her the leg if God doesn't intervene, and please pray for a dear lady friend in my church who is battling cancer.

Praise Be!!!
Duke

thank you B-E-P.

There is so much more I could share.
I am a survivor of abuse of nearly every type- now healed physically and emotionally by God's power
I've seen miracle after miracle.
My wife broke her neck in the same place that Christopher Reeves broke his, partially paralyzed at our local hospital yet the next day she walked out of the trauma center they sent her to with only a soft collar brace on.
I was healed of migraines in my early 20's
Dr after Dr told us there was no way we would ever have children, yet God said you better buy some diapers!  Today, she's 7!! PTL!
God has seen fit to move on the people and bless them while I ,ministered in song and word.

And yet, I walked away from it all.
Told God I wanted nothing to do with Him or His people.

Yet, today, I stand fresh anew and anointed.
It is truly my joy to say that He Lifted Me Out!!  and I praise Him that He saw fit to do so.
Now I can say like the elders, Glory be to the Lamb upon the throne!

\o/            \o/            \o/            \o/             \o/           \o/            \o/

Perhaps you've heard that phrase before, perhaps not.
I often wondered exactly WHAT preachers meant when they said it.

Here's what I "discovered".

The key to living Godly is found in the cross and nothing else.
If we say our prayers, study our Bible and do our best isn't that what we've been taught will bring us victory?
God says, those are good things, but the answer is in the cross and the works Jesus did there.
(Romans 6) (Gal 2:20) (Col 2:12-13) (1 Cor 1:23)
If we focus on self effort, we fail.
If we focus on good works, we fail.
It is only when we focus on the cross and what Jesus did for us there that we can live free and above sin's influence.
Many would say, but that's not enough, it can't be that simple.  I rebut with how simple is the plan of salvation?
Both are simple.  Faith in Christ saves you, faith in the works Jesus did on the cross will lead you to a Godly life.
Others would say that this teaches that Christians who think this way will never fail.
That is the goal, but we all fall and come short of God's glory.  ALL of us blow it from time to time.
If you place your trust in this I am not saying that you'll never fall for satan's trap again, but I am saying that
you will fall less and less often!

Here is a list of the works that Christ finished upon the cross that day outside Jerusalem.

Salvation- a triple blessing
Redemption- John 1:29, Heb 9:12, Col 1:14  Redeemed-bought back from bondage.
Sanctification- Heb 10:10, 13:12, 1 Pet 1:2                        Sanctified-set apart for God's use.
Justification- Rom 3:24, 5:9, Isa 53:11    Justified-Restored to a right standing with God. JUST as IF I'D never sinned.

Sin's RULING power broken- Rom 6:6
Notice this is sin's power to enslave us, NOT the power to TEMPT us to sin.
Paul goes on to say that we are to reckon and know that we have been baptized into the death and 
resurrection of Christ.   
Reckon (count,consider, come to the conclusion) yourselves to be free from sin's ruling power.
Know (have knowledge of, be aware of,understand) that once we accept Christ, in God's view when Christ died FOR sin, we died TO sin.
And when He arose to new life, so did we, a new life in Christ.
Then, we are to yield NOT to sin and instead yield TO God.

The Law FufilledCol 2:14
That which stood between God and man, that which the temple veil symbolized has been fulfilled and set aside
through the death of Christ.  When God established the New Covenant in Hebrews He set aside the former covenants he had made with man.  This covenant will last for eternity, it is established in Heaven and sealed with the precious
blood of our Lord and Savior.

Satan & demons defeated- Heb 2:14-15, Col 2:15
Our two greatest enemies-DEFEATED!
In John 10:10 Christ said the thief (satan & his minions) comes to steal, kill and destroy.
Whatever the avenue of attack, his goal is the same-to steal, kill and destroy.
Though he roams the earth like a roaring lion, he is a defeated foe!

ALL of these verses not only mention the work but also tell us that Christ brought them to us through His work on
the Cross.
I'm sure that some verses have been left out, and some blessings not mentioned, BUT God hasn't revealed those to me just yet.

Yes, should that sad day ever come, I believe there will be many an outlaw.
Let us pray it is postponed and work for the night is at hand.

We've all heard the story of the prodigal son, well that is pretty much my story.
I was raised in a Godly family, but not a Godly home.
While I never remember my grandparents even talking loud, my parent's went all out.
At times, the hollering turned to combat.

While I had met Jesus as my savior at age 11, I never let Him be Lord until I was nearly 40.
I answered the call to preach in 1992 at the age of 23.
I'll never forget it was the only time my Papaw ever hugged me on his own.
The pride in his face made me swell with joy.
I knew that I had earned the approval of the man who meant the most to me in my earthly life.

But at age 27 I got married and got a new job.
The bad thing was, despite the better pay and such it was a second shift job.
Little by little I started letting go of God's hand.
Solomon said it's the little foxes that spoil the vine, and he is right.

I looked at the job as a blessing from God, but soon I found myself thinking that it was ME who had accomplished
it. That ended in 2001 when the company turned on me.
They eliminated my job, cut my pay 5$ an hour and for two years I wondered how I could make ends meet.
How I could cloth and feed my child on such a meager pay.
Bitter?? OH YOU BET!!!
By this time, I had slipped into disobedience.
But, the worst was yet to be.

In 2003, I found a new job, BUT it was no better for I found myself now working the "graveyard" shift.
It was also this year that I found myself embroiled in a fight at the church.
I went from disobedience to COMPLETE disobedience.
In 4 years, I attended church exactly ONCE.
HOWEVER, I did tell the pastor that I would NOT disrespect him or God's house by showing up only to fall asleep.
I lived a life that would make folks shudder.
I still resisted alcohol and drugs and remained faithful to my wife, but everything else was open to discussion.

I grew to view most everyone as either a hypocrite or a sham.
I saw the evil they did when they thought no one was watching.
You see, sinners are not the only ones who watch us, so do prodigals who want to excuse their actions.

In 2007, God blessed me and I got a dayshift job.
I promised God that if He granted me the job, I would get things straightened out.
Sad part is it took me nearly two years to do so.

Then, this past Christmas season, I was asked to be in the Christmas program at the church.
Imagine my surprise.  I had not been part of the church for 6 YEARS!
Imagine even more my surprise when I said yes.
Those two ladies took a chance on an old backslider not knowing if I'd take a part or if I did if I'd show up.
Oh how I praise God that those folks never gave up on me, and still saw some good in me.

Now, I'm one for the flat truth.  Like it or not, if it hurts it hurts- just let the chips fall where they may.
And being part of a church program, I couldn't take part unless I went through with it and made things right.
Now, I have always had an inkling of somethings that were going to happen.
I've dreamed dreams that came true in every aspect.
And I always felt that if I backslid one more time, there would be no coming back.
Then it happened, backwards I went.

BUT I thank God that what I had believed was a lie.
God NOT only took me back, but He restored me to the place I was when I let go of His hand.
You see, there is a difference between starting over and starting again.
When we start over, we start from the beginning; but when we start again, we pick up where we left off!

Today my life is much changed.
I have joy and peace and am grateful that God grants us second and third chances!

My papaw used to sing a song..........
I traveled on sin's broad road
far away from the blessed abode
and beneath my heavy load, but now I can shout.

For Jesus the savior came when I called on His precious name
He took all my sin and shame and he lifted me out!

I'm glad he lifted me out
1963  W.L. Hopper

Thank you for the warm welcomes!!

B-E-P,
I agree with you, I'm not much into denoms either.
As Christians, we should have fellowship with one another regardless of church affiliation.
When we start shunning one another or arguing over our POV's then we've lost the
meaning of the cross and are in danger of losing the power of God.

I really laughed at your comment, "so far it's all been legal"  LOL
Glad to hear that you've managed to stay on the right side of the law thus far!

As for Duke, I enjoy all of his movies, BUT the early ones tend to be my favorites as he was
still trying to prove that he was capable of being a true artist.
AND as Pastor Roger wrote, they are far less violent and vulgar than his later films and DEFINITELY mild
compared to most of the movies now days.

For more of my story, check out my topic in the testimonies area.

Hello to one and all.

I'm Duke.
I'm from the south and I love Jesus!!!

I enjoy Duke movies, Lady Vols basketball, and hunting and fishing (as in Hunting another John Wayne movie and Fishing the remote outta the couch cushions!!  LOL)

I am Southern Baptist by denomination, but was raised Pentecostal and still hold to many of their teachings; I guess you could call me a Bapti-Costal!!

My aim in life is to be a nail in a sure place for those in need, a word in season for others, and to share the love,hope, peace and joy of Jesus Christ.
To be the best husband, poppa and friend that I can be.
And to handle every situation in life with the love, grace and mercy of God, and the power of the Holy Ghost.

I hope to make many new friends and acquaintances here.

Until we meet there, I'll meet you here.
God Bless!
Duke